Gods of Silver
by Shuken no Ryu
Summary: Descended from the Gods they were the most powerful beings in the universe. As royals they controlled their kingdoms justly...for the most part. No one believed that it was the end of an era, the fall of the Silver Millenium.
1. Chap 1: The Creation

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, Gundam Wing, or the miniscule bit of Outlaw Star that I use. Characters that belong to me are as follows: Terra, Dominique, and Amborsia (and they're only mention in passing in this fic.) Oh! Zylstra is mine too, and so are the Senshi's parents, sort of.  
  
Author's Note: This is a story that takes place in the Silver Millenium. It is connected to my other story Immortal Habit (which I will update ASAP) but you don't have to read it before this one. This is my take on the Silver Millenium and is considered a prequel to Immortal Habit.  
  
Untitled  
  
"In the beginning there was Chaos. A jumble of the universe in one mass of useless matter. Land was not solid, water not liquid, and air was not transparent. Within Chaos there were the seeds of life, the first star seeds, and one day, though there were no days yet, those seeds grew and as they grew Chaos began to take on order. From the seeds came four beings Gaea, Uranus, Pontus, and Erebus.  
  
"Gaea looked down on the newly separated Chaos and felt a connection to the land and set about creating beautiful green things. Uranus looked above him and saw the sky and was entranced by the way that it seemed to go on forever. Pontus claimed the seas as his dominion for they touched both land and sky. Erebus claimed nothing but decided to create something that would effect all three so he created Nox, or Night. Erebus infused Nox with his Darkness and was surprised when two new beings were formed. Aether and Hemera were exact opposites of Nox and Erebus and when they joined they created another being: Love.  
  
"Love was not interested in land, sea, or sky but did attach itself to Gaea, Pontus, and Uranus. There began the beginning of time and our people. From Gaea and Uranus came eight sons: Ophion, Cronos, Iapetus, Oceanus, Hyperion, Crius, Coeus, and Skyeus. Also there were six daughters: Mnemosyne, Tethys, Phoebe, Theia, Rhea, and Themis. From Gaea and Pontus there were Nereus, Thaumas, Phorkys, Keto, Eurybia, Aigaion, and Halia.  
  
These children, called Titans, fought bitterly over the land, sea, and sky until finally Gaea convinced her mates that the lands, skies, and seas needed to be divided. So they divided their domains into hundreds of millions of parts. Ten of those parts became the sun and planets, and moons of the Sol system, which was where the children chose to dwell. Hyperion chose the Sun because he ruled over all light. Oceanus and the children of Pontus took a planet covered mostly in water and named it Neptune while Cronos took a dark planet and named it Saturn. Ophion took a large green planet and called it Jupiter and Coeus chose a small planet close to the Sun and dubbed it Mercury. Crius took a red planet that became know as Mars while Sykeus and Iapetus named their planet Earth. Do you understand so far Princess?" her instructor asked.  
  
"Yes, Luna, everyone knows how the universe began," Princess Serenity confirmed, she had learned early in her studies that Luna frequently asked questions so that Serenity couldn't doze or daydream. "But where is the Moon in all of this? Why didn't anyone take Venus, Uranus, or Pluto?"  
  
"It is later in history that those planets were colonized. You are always jumping ahead of me, princess," Luna mockingly scolded.  
  
"I'm sorry, Luna," Serenity apologized.  
  
Princess Serenity and her instructor, Luna, seemed to be complete opposites of each other. Where Luna had hair as black as midnight Serenity's was white as snow. The princess' eyes were a silvery-blue but Luna's were a light brown. Luna had a formal and rigid air about her and Serenity could hardly ever keep a straight face. And to Serenity's everlasting annoyance Luna was a good half a foot taller than the princess was. If one passed them in a hall they never would have thought that the two were actually the best of friends.  
  
"I will continue then. Most of these beings were happy to live on their pieces of paradise alone but Sykeus and Iapetus were creating from the very start. They created animal after animal until finally they could not hold any more on their planet. Earth abounded with birds, fish and beasts but it was Iapetus' son Promethius that created the best creature of all: Man. He made man in his image and gifted him with intellect, speech, and the ability to make tools. Man was an excellent companion to the Titans, though they lacked the magical abilities of their creators, but there was an emptiness in their hearts they could not fill. Clymene, Iapetus's wife, knew what they lacked and created the first Woman. She named the first woman Pandora and gave her to her son Promethius.  
  
Pandora and Promethius' marriage was a happy one but Clymene gave Pandora one single flaw: curiosity. Promethius kept a box in his home that held horrible things that he had made men immune to so they could not fall ill from them. Pandora in her curiosity opened the box and let all the evils of the world out except for one thing. Hope. Men lost their immortality and immunity to sickness but never lost Hope. It is said that after Pandora opened the box she flung it into the ocean so that it could never be opened."  
  
"I know how the men of Earth became mortal, Luna. I want to know how the Moon Kingdom came about, please?" Serenity begged her tutor.  
  
"Fine. We're at a good spot for it anyway," Luna sighed and began the next tale. "Hyperion and his wife Theia dwelled on the Sun, a land that gave off a golden light and gave day to all the planets. They had three children Helio, Selene, and Eos. Helios was a child made for the Sun and shined with his own golden light. Eos glowed a pinkish gold and was always up at dawn but Selene's silver glow was covered by the Sun and for years she suffered from the harsh light. She looked for somewhere better to call home and found it on the Earth's moon.  
  
Selene lived there for many years, watching the people of Earth live and prosper, and she became lonely. She created the first Lunarians like Promethius had made Men with golden to white hair and eyes from green to silver. Selene began to long for a child but for years her wish escaped her. Then one day she knew she was pregnant, just like that. There was no father so the young girl looked almost exactly like her mother. Selene ruled the Moon and its people for a thousand years before she was sure he daughter, Serenity, was ready then she handed the throne to her and retired within the Moon. Serenity then passed her throne to her daughter, who like her mother had no father, and she to hers. The line of Serenity has been unbroken for a million years, each queen ruling for a thousand years and passing the crown to her daughter. You, Serenity, are the thousandth of the line, a direct descendant of Selene," Luna finished with a flourish.  
  
Luna glanced at the clock, it was finely crafted and made of Jovian wood. It was well passed time for Serenity to go to her etiquette lessons and Luna was sure that Mistress Manners was at this moment having an audience with the queen about her daughter's tardiness.  
  
"You should probably go, Princess."  
  
Serenity glanced at the clock and gasped in shock.  
  
"Oh no! Mistress Manners will have a fit!" Serenity exclaimed and flew out the door.  
  
"Princesses don't run, Serenity!" Luna called after her and laughed when Serenity waved in acknowledgement and kept running. "Oh, what a queen that one will be!"  
  
Luna didn't realize that at that very moment forces were at work to stop Princess Serenity Artemis the Thousandth from ever being crowned High Queen of the White Moon and Silver Alliance. 


	2. Chap 2: Double Life

A.N. Another day another chapter. This one is on Jupiter. I'll be rotating planets for the first ten chapters or so until all the Princesses are on the Moon. Please REVIEW!  
  
Gods of Silver Chapter 2  
  
"Litasha! You call this silver clean? This is a disgrace! You lazy wench, can you do nothing right?" Queen Hera's harsh words echoed throughout the hall, the enraged queen proceeded to knock every candlestick on the mantle on to the floor.  
  
The queen of Jupiter was a woman of harsh beauty and manner. Her black hair was always up in an intricate bun, never a hair out of place, and green eyes always shone coldly like emeralds. Her cheekbones were high, her nose reminded many of a hawks, and her chin came a to a perfect sharp point. Queen Hera always stood tall and erect with her chin up, shoulders back, and chest out. She dressed in the stiffest green silk and taffeta with the lowest necklines in the court. Rarely was she described as kind, generous, forgiving, or any other assortment of traits associated with creatures with hearts.  
  
A serving maid of seventeen stood a safe distance from the queen staring intently at the floor. She was dressed in the livery of the palace staff; a simple cotton dress died a light green with a white apron with dark green embroidery on the edges. The crest of Jupiter's royal family, a bald eagle wearing a laurel wreath and holding a lightning bolt in one claw and a rose in the other, was sewn onto the bib of the apron. She was tall and had dark green hair, eyes, and every thing about her from posture to facial expression screamed subservient. Everything that is but her eyes. Her eyes burned with a fire, a strength, and anyone that looked into those orbs knew that this girl was not and never would be anyone's servant.  
  
"Well? What do you have to say?" the queen demanded, "I've given you the entire day to clean the silver for the ball tonight and what do you do? Nothing! These candlesticks are disgusting!"  
  
Hera picked up the last remaining candlestick on the mantle. The polished silver shone like a mirror, reflecting the queen's image at her. She then flung the object at Litasha, the maid, and missed hitting her only by inches. Litasha didn't even flinch and continued staring at the floor, she was used to this sort of thing.  
  
"Do you see that thing? It's ghastly! Princess Serenity could clean a candlestick better than that! You are pathetic!"  
  
Litasha kept looking at the floor but slowly the look was turning into a glare. She had been up a dawn to clean those candlesticks, hoping that if she polished them long enough the shine would blind Hera so she couldn't criticize her work. Miracles were known to happen, just not on Jupiter.  
  
"You will have no supper tonight nor breakfast on the morrow. You need to learn that in my palace I have zero tolerance for sloth. Good day, princess," the queen's parting words were heavy with sarcasm and mocked Litasha even as the queen herself left the room, her crisp skirts making a slight swishing noise as she exited the hall.  
  
Litasha began to pick up the mess that Hera had made during her rant. It was expected that the nearest servant picked up whatever mess the queen made during her latest bought of tantrum. Litasha came to the candlestick that Hera had thrown at her, it was scratched horribly and probably couldn't be fixed. She turned it over and looked at the maker's mark on the bottom, it was the finest silver from Venus and cost a fortune.  
  
"I wish Father was here and not on the Moon. This would all stop if he was here," Litasha murmured to herself and slipped the candlestick into the pocket of her apron to keep, it would just be thrown out anyway.  
  
Litasha's father was King Zeus of Jupiter and High General of the Silver Alliance. And for the first fourteen years of Lita's life she called Hera Mother. That was until her father told her that she was the daughter of Hestia, the queen of Vesta, a planet in another solar system, and was switched with Hera's stillborn baby at birth. It was supposed to be a secret but one of Hera's many spies heard them.  
  
Hera never told her husband that she knew Litasha was not her own child and when he was around treated her the same as she always did. But then Zeus had to go on one of his frequent trips away from Jupiter and everything changed.  
  
Lita was torn from the world she knew and thrown into the gray life of a servant all within the span of a day. All of her pretty dresses and weapons were locked in her old rooms and she was given new ones in the servant's quarters. She had to learn quickly how to do things and no one was going to help her, partly because they were bitter and partly because they were afraid that Hera would find out. So, she did it alone.  
  
The change she saw in her foster-mother was horrifying, she had gone from strict but kind to harsh, demanding, and cruel. Everything that Litasha did was wrong to Hera whether it was or not and she was made to do things over and over again until she got things right. Lita remembered one day when she had to scrub the floor of the Great Hall six times before it was to Hera's satisfaction. Lita's hand had been bleeding and raw from the lye and her knees bruised.  
  
When Hera got word that Zeus was coming home she had Litasha moved back to her old rooms and cleaned up. That night when she was called down to dinner with her parents Hera treated Lita just the same as she had before Zeus had left. Only a glare warning her not to tell about her time as a servant convinced Lita that the two sides of Hera were one in the same.  
  
After that Litasha's life fell into an uneasy pattern, while her father was around she was Princess Litasha but once he was gone on another trip she was just another of the servants.  
  
Now, Lita walked down the halls hugging the wall and her head down, trying not to catch anyone's attention. She let out a sigh of relief when she reached her room and entered quickly. Once the door was closed and she was sure that no one was listening in she placed the candlestick in a drawer of her simple desk, if she was found with it she would be beaten.  
  
Then in a rage she kicked the frame of her bed and punched the wall. She felt her knuckles split and warm blood trickle down her fingers. Quickly she grabbed a rag and tied around her hand to soak up the blood before it stained her uniform, Hera would have her beaten for staining the livery. Rage bubbled up at the thought of being so helpless against her mother.  
  
"I HATE HER!"  
  
She fell onto her bed and buried her head in the pillow, alternating between screaming and sobbing. How could a woman that loved her for fourteen years become such a monster? Which one was the real Hera? Lita was afraid to know.  
  
She cried for what seemed like hours and then finally she slept. Litasha dreamed of the day when Hera wouldn't miss when she threw a candlestick and the day her father never came back. Of the day she would die under her mother's glittering emerald eyes and cruel smile.  
  
Lita awoke breathing heavily and sticky with sweat. Her hands shook when she went to wipe her face. Lita rose on shaking legs and stumbled to the mirror above the sink. The girl in the mirror was not the Litasha she knew. The Litasha she knew was never afraid, or meek, and she most definitely didn't let others control her life. Who had she been over the last two years? Whoever she was, Litasha didn't like her.  
  
Lita scrubbed her face and hands of the sweat and brushed out the hair that had been up in it servants bun much to long. She let the curly green locks hang down her back and she removed her apron. Then she sat down at her desk and began writing a letter. She was going to write a letter to her father telling him everything that had been going on for the last two years. Hopefully, he would believe her but she was leaving this place no matter what.  
  
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Review please! I'm sorry the last chapter was so boring. I had to get the backstory out of the way. Ja ne! 


	3. Chap 3: She's Not Here Anymore

A.N. I would like to thank Jupiter Angel for her review. ::glomps:: Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. I was feeling unloved and you came along and REVIEWED! Thanx!!! Unfortunately no, you can't vote for couples but your votes were all close to what I was gonna do anyways. ^_^  
  
Gods of Silver Chapter 3  
  
"Your Higness, we need your mother's signature for these documents, will you please get them to her?"  
  
"The miners have gone on strike again, my lady, what should we do?"  
  
"The ambassador from Pluto doesn't like his rooms, Princess, where should we put him?"  
  
"The panthers in the menagerie have caught some of the rabbits and are killing them, Your Highness!"  
  
Princess Cytherea Minako of Venus walked as quickly as she could in her high heels through the halls of the palace, trying desperately to escape the maid, two chancellors, and animal caretaker that followed almost directly behind her. They had been hounding her most of the day even after she gave them answers to the most recent crisis. The princess wondered if anyone in the palace could even sneeze without asking her about it first. Cytherea was about ready to scream, screw that it was unbefitting of a princess.  
  
Then she saw it, her salvation. The princess sped up to a jog and then a run, putting distance between her and the flock. She flung the door to her rooms open and slammed it shut behind her. She rested her back against it for a second to catch her breath then began stripping out of the formal gown she wore to welcome the formerly mentioned ambassador.  
  
The gown had more petticoats than a bird had feathers and was practically encrusted with topaz and sapphires. Cytherea had been woken at what seemed to be the crack of dawn for the maids to put on her makeup and do her hair in the most intricate style they could think of. Atop her head was a mass of loops, curls, and braids with gems woven through it all, Cytherea felt like her head was going to fall off from the weight. In Cytherea's opinion she looked horrible and more like a drapery than a princess but when the ambassador had first lay eyes on her his jaw had dropped and he stammered as he introduced himself.  
  
Now Cytherea struggled to escape from the gown, when she finally did get it off more than one of the pearl buttons had popped off and at least two seams had ripped. The princess did not mourn the loss of that particular garment. Then she began to pull pins and gems from her hair with a vengeance and brush out every last curl until finally her hair was again straight and silky smooth like liquid sun.  
  
She looked in the mirror and grimaced at all the makeup caked on her face. She poured some water into the washing basin on her dresser and proceeded to scrub until her face was red and puffy.  
  
The princess has been looking for a more suitable dress when her flock decided to enter. Cytherea wondered idly how long they had argued outside her door before coming in. She figured the Chancellors were the ones who wanted to come in, the old perverts enjoyed walking in on her, hoping to find her naked. It was just their luck that this time she was. Cytherea continued to look through her closet and decided on a gauzy dress that reached mid-thigh and to forgo shoes altogether. She faced the four needy palace dwellers, giving them and unobstructed view, and placed her hands on her hips. Venusian's were not known for their modesty.  
  
"Isabela," Cytherea addressed the maid, "Put the ambassador into the Green Suite with a view of the sea, please. If he doesn't like that one tell him that all other rooms are full with other guests or in the middle of remodeling."  
  
The wide-eyed maid nodded and scampered from the room, probably to make a quick stop in the kitchens to spread the news that the Crown-Princess of Venus had gone as insane as her mother.  
  
"The rabbits can't be helped now. Order some more. Why were they in the panther's cage in the first place?" the princess asked in exasperation and watched with amusement as the caretaker stammered out an unintelligible answer and fled the room.  
  
Cytherea decided now would be a good time to put on her dress and stepped behind a screen to throw the sheath over her head. When she stepped out the Chancellors were fidgeting uncomfortably and shifting from foot to foot.  
  
"Chancellor Irving, put the documents you want my mother to sign on my desk," she instructed the younger of the two. "Now Elder-Chancellor Harlem, what do the miners want to begin working again?"  
  
Chancellor Irving jumped to please his princess and then took his leave. Elder-Chancellor Harlem on the other hand thought himself to be in the princess' favor and took a seat in a chair reserved for Cytherea's guests. The princess was annoyed at the old gooses' behavior but let him sit.  
  
"The miners want a 5% raise in wages, a Labor Day, and pay and a half for overtime, Your Highness," the Elder-Chancellor replied.  
  
"Offer them 1.5% raise, they'll haggle it up but go no further than 3.5%. Give them the Labor Day but out it in the slow season when they're not doing much anyway. And for the last one I believe a Bill was already passed on that matter, give them their requested amount. Is that all, Elder- Chancellor?" the princess asked sweetly.  
  
"I believe so," Elder-Chancellor Harlem replied and rose from his seat. "G'day, my Lady."  
  
"Good day, Chancellor."  
  
Cytherea sighed in relief once the Elder-Chancellor was gone. She had been seeing that man too often since she had started running the kingdom in her mother's place. It was almost a year to the day since she had started taking care of things. When her mother had heard that her son Anteros had been killed in a duel she went insane with grief and tried to kill herself. Queen Aphrodite had been heavily medicated for almost a year now but only Cytherea and some well-paid palace staff knew that. Everyone thought that the Queen had gone slightly insane and refused to come out of her rooms, giving her only daughter orders as to how to rule the kingdom. Cytherea was actually ruling all by herself and only because none of her elder brothers would step up to the responsibility.  
  
The princess sat down at her desk and pulled out the documents her mother was supposed to sign. For the next hour Cytherea sat reading the documents and signing a perfect imitation of her mother's signature at the bottom.  
  
Once that was finished Cytherea decided to go for a walk through the grounds. If she was thinking right then it was just about time for the new guards to be practicing in the courtyard shirtless. Just because she was now controlling an entire kingdom didn't mean she had to give up her favorite hobbies like guy watching and reading seedy romance novels.  
  
She was hurring through the corridors, still shoeless, when she heard two maids gossiping. Cytherea was always one for good gossip so she slowed down so she could hear everything.  
  
"Is Princess Cytherea King Ares' daughter?" a maid asked, she was probably new.  
  
"No, only the Queen's sons are from that short match. Princess Cytherea is special. The Queen went down to the sea one day not long after the birth of her last son and did some magic. She cut her hand and let the blood soak into the sea just like her ancestor rose from Uranus' blood when Cronos tried to kill him. Queen Aphrodite spoke some magic words in the Old Language and described the child she wanted, promising that the child would be the next ruler of Venus," the elderly maid explained. "Well, she stood there for awhile and watched the sea, letting the waves roll over her and soak her to her waist. On one of those waves rode a baby and that is where Her Highness comes from."  
  
Cytherea sped up her walk once again so she wouldn't be caught eavesdropping. Cytherea wished she could say that the two maids were wrong and that she had a father but Cytherea wasn't sure what the truth was. Her origins had always been kept a secret from her for all these years, Cytherea hoped it was because her mother disliked speaking about her father.  
  
Finally, Cytherea came to the courtyard where the guards were practicing. She decided to let the question of her father go for now and indulge in a few hours of being a normal hormonal teenager.  
  
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Well, there's another one down. Which one next? Mars, Mercury, Moon, Saturn and Pluto, or Neptune and Uranus? Please REVIEW and tell me! 


	4. Chap 4: The Knowledge of Good and Evil

Author's Note: Well, the votes are in and Mercury wins! But I must make a draw with you. This chapter will be a two in one. This chapter will have both Mercury and a part of the Moon predicament making it doubly long! Kewl ne? The only reason I got this done is because today was a snow day. ^_^  
  
Gods of Silver  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The White Moon Kingdom was a stunning place; its soil was a glowing white and silver that only grew plants native to the Moon and its silvery-blue oceans were filled with a wide assortment of white, silver, and gold fish (well as wide an assortment you can have with only those three colors). The Moon's people reflected it beauty, all were light in complexion, hair, and eye. The other planets called the citizens of the Moon 'Moonshiners' because they glowed like the Moon whenever they stepped on another planet. As the capital of the Silver Alliance, the Moon was always a hub of political and social activity.  
  
Today, there was to be a garden ceremony and a party at the Royal Palace, celebrating King Zeus' visit to the Moon. Everyone was looking forward to the activities. Everyone, that is, except for the Crown-Princess Serenity.  
  
"Must I go to the garden ceremony, Luna? All they're doing in unveiling the first blooms of the season. All I get to do is stand there and look like a china doll!" Serenity complained and fell back on her big bouncy bed.  
  
Princess Serenity looked like your average Lunarian, her hair was long, silver and, for once, down from the customary buns of Lunarian female royalty so it drug across the ground when she stood. Her eyes were cerulean blue and stood out sharply from her pale skin and hair. The princess' gown for the day was sleeveless and had empire waist, it was made of blue velvet with intricate pearl embroidery on the bodice. On her feet were matching slippers.  
  
Luna stood by the window basking in the light of the sun, like a cat, listening to her friend and princess complain about not being able to do something for her kingdom other that looking pretty. This was old bag to Luna, Serenity hated many of the formal ceremonies of the Lunarian court and let her friends and guards know about it. Luna scowled at the thought of the four guards of Serenity, they weren't allowed in the princess' chambers so they didn't have to listen to this.  
  
"You still have to go, no matter how long you complain about it," Luna pointed out.  
  
Serenity scowled up at the canopy but sat up to scowl at her friend and mentor. There had to be something more important for the Crown Princess of the Silver Alliance to do than 'oh and ah' over a bunch of blossoms. Luna was right though, it was pointless to complain or argue about it, she was going to the ceremony whether she liked it or not.  
  
"Fine. Will you help me with my hair, please? If I'm going out into the gardens I'll have to put it up so dirt doesn't get in it," Serenity sighed in defeat and moved to her dresser so that Luna could out her hair up in it's regular style.  
  
Luna began the tiring process of putting up Serenity's hair. First you had to brush it until there wasn't a snarl or knot in sight. Then you had to separate it in two, a feat in itself, and then you had to wind the one section around and around until it was a perfect sphere. The process took forever but usually passed quickly with chatter and laughing but today the princess was silent and pouting.  
  
"Oh, stop it," Luna commanded as she began to put pins in the second bun, "You get to see Prince Actaeon today."  
  
Serenity stiffened, "I get to see Actaeon every day, he's one of my guards, remember?"  
  
"Of course! Maybe that's why everyone with eyes has noticed you two blushing and brushing up against each other whenever you think no one is looking," Luna said knowingly and smiled.  
  
"Actaeon doesn't blush," Serenity blushed, "And I have no idea what you are talking about."  
  
"I'm not blind, Serenity. I am your best friend, talk to me!" Luna demanded and jabbed a hairpin in a little too hard.  
  
"Ouch! Fine! I like Actaeon but-" another jab "Ouch! He likes me too but-" jab "Will you stop that!? Fine, Actaeon and I are in love but you know how the court is! If they knew our reputations would be ruined or we'd be forced to marry! Neither of us are ready for marriage and Selene forbid Actaeon's reputation take a beating."  
  
The confession continued to pour out of Serenity while Luna put the finishing touched on her hair. It was good to see her friend had love in her life, Serenity could be much too pessimistic when she was feeling down and love seemed to be doing her well. Soon the hair was done and they were ready to go.  
  
Serenity and Luna exited the princess' chamber to find Serenity's three royal guards already there. Serenity's guards were three younger princes of other planets. They were sent to be Serenity's bodyguards after a fanatic kidnapped her and asked for a ransom. The royal provost finally got her back but the fanatic was killed right in front of Serenity. The first order when she was returned was to get her a set of personal guards. Serenity's private orders to these guards were to train her in weapons, so far her favorite had been the sword and staff.  
  
The first of her guard was Prince Actaeon of Mars, a serious one with dark brown hair and blue-purple eyes, he was known for running away numerous times as a child to join the army. Fortunately, he was always found and reported then taken back to King Ares kicking and screaming.  
  
The second was the tall and quiet Prince Aeolus of Uranus with reddish- brown hair and dark green eyes. Aeolus had one bang that always covered one of his eyes and when not pretending to be Serenity's shadow could usually be found in the music room with his flute.  
  
The last of Serenity's guard was the happy go lucky prince of Pluto. Adonis had long light brown hair that was always in a braid and light violet eyes. People said that he was a female version of Queen Persephone, who shared her son's looks and trickster sense of humor.  
  
"Are you ready, my Lady?" Actaeon asked and offered his arm, which Serenity took.  
  
"Of course, Prince Actaeon, why else would I be here?" Serenity replied and they set off toward the gardens.  
  
Behind the couple Adonis, Aeolus, and Luna traded knowing glances and followed after them. If the two kept up like this they would be forced to marry.  
  
At the garden ceremony Serenity and Actaeon continued to stand next to each other and let their hands touch periodically. It was discreet and hardly noticeable but a gossiping courtier noticed it and began spreading rumors as soon as she drew her next breath. By the time the ceremony was done the rumor had reached Queen Serenity herself.  
  
Later that evening Serenity and her guards were summoned to the Queen's chambers to speak privately. Serenity and Actaeon were completely in the dark about why they had been called but Aeolus and Adonis had a sneaking suspicion to what it was about.  
  
When the four entered Queen Serenity's sitting and office she was sitting behind a desk with a stack of parchment next to her. The queen glanced up at them, set her fancy quill (she preferred them to pens when signing bills) down and pushed what she was working on away. Queen Serenity looked as perfect and graceful as ever even in the simple unadorned lavender gown, with small glasses resting on her nose, and hair tied up into a massive bun.  
  
"I have known for some time now that you, Serenity, and you, Actaeon, have had affections for each other. I allowed it to continue because you were both happy and I saw no harm in it. I thought that one day I could even present you as Queen and Consort but I have now heard a rumor about your relationship," the Queen paused for a moment, "And that is why I have decided that this cannot go on any longer. I will not have my daughter's reputation ruined by the court. Serenity, your guards have been reassigned to your brother, Apollo, on Sol."  
  
The room erupted into chaos as four people tried to argue with the queen about her decision. Adonis and Aeolus wanted to know why they had to go when they hadn't done anything while Serenity and Actaeon tried to convince the queen that they would be discreet from now on. The queen let them argue for a few moments and then rose a hand to silence them.  
  
"My mind is made up. Boys, you will be taking the noon transport to Sol. You, Serenity, are on the market for some new guards," Queen Serenity ended the discussion and returned to her work but no one moved to go. "I'm done speaking on this matter. Leave."  
  
* * *  
  
"Your Highness, you've been working since early this morning and now its close to midnight! Go eat and rest, I will take it from here," Gerald Smignouson, an elderly scientist, ordered her.  
  
Princess Amira of Mercury blinked in confusion and looked up at the clock. It couldn't be midnight yet, she'd only been working for a short time. She had only begun to study this new bacterium and was just now making any sort of headway in her research. Amira looked down at her notes and was surprised to find that she had used up two and a half notebooks. She opened them and was surprised to find every line and margin filled with her own neat cursive. She must have completely zoned out during her research.  
  
"I'm sorry, Gerald, none of my notes are organized yet. And I can't stop now, the bacteria will die in another six hours!" Amira exclaimed.  
  
"Your Highness.Amira, your notes are always organized, your mind is so analytical that you can't help it. Now go rest before you fall asleep in my lab," Gerald ordered and scooped up Amira's notes.  
  
Amira sighed and wiped her weary eyes, she felt exhausted and dirty. Not to mention ravenous. Amira waved sleepily to Gerald and stumbled her way out of the laboratory into the halls of Mercury's royal palace. She began to weave her way through the blue and white corridors of the palace to her room. On her way she asked a passing maid to have dinner delivered to her room, since she had missed it hours ago.  
  
When she finally got to her rooms she practically dived into a hot bath and proceeded to soak until she pruned. After that she snuggled into her favorite men's pajamas and blue bunny slippers. In her sitting rooms was some steaming hot soup and tea with a few sandwiches, in Amira's opinion the perfect food. You could eat a sandwich and read a book at the same time.  
  
As Amira ate, she reflected on the day. When she realized the day had been pretty uneventful she went back to yesterday, which to Amira had been a proverbial hell. She'd had to spend the day with her ladies-in-waiting, a flighty bunch of women that wasted their intellect on finding the best ways to attract men and doing nothing but embroidery.  
  
Usually, these women were content to do these things without her but yesterday they had decided that Amira was doing too much heavy thinking. Or at least that's what they told her but really they had been bored and decided that a day of veiled mockery of their princess would fill the time nicely. So Amira had spent the day listening to them chatter on about all the men they were leading on and being asked constantly why she didn't have a suitor or two, or maybe three even?  
  
By the end of the day Amira had wanted to scream or do something nasty to one of them, maybe trip one? But cooler heads had prevailed and her ladies- in-waiting had gone unharmed. Amira was content with the knowledge that it would be a couple months before they got bored enough to bring her along again.  
  
When she finished her meal Amira went off to bed. She crawled under the covers and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to catch her. Then she realized she was tired. Amira sighed and sat up to find a book. She had a stack of them resting beside her bed for these sorts of things. She picked up an ancient duty volume and began to read, turning the brittle pages very carefully.  
  
It was a history on the early planets of their solar system, before there was a Silver Alliance. It talked about how each planet's royal family had a child that had the power to control the planet's element. Amira was confused about this because none of the planets had an element. They were known for something, like Mercury was known for its technology and the immense desserts that covered the land and Jupiter had its trees that produce lightning and it's strong warriors.  
  
Amira continued to read about the controlling of elements and was surprised to find that these Senshi, as they were called, were used in the early years of the Silver Millenium to protect the Moon Princess. The Senshi were usually the oldest children of the royal family and the heirs to the throne. Unlike the magic that the mages of this time used the Senshi had spells to control the elements, in some cases they hadn't even had to say anything!  
  
Amira read long into the night, slowly becoming convinced that these Senshi really had once existed and that they could still be used today. She would have to show her family this in the morning, her mother, Queen Athena, was one of the Four Generals of the Silver Millenium and could be very interested in the possibilities the Senshi could create. Eventually, Amira fell asleep with the book resting on her chest, completely exhausted from the day.  
  
- - - - - - - - - Thanks for the reviews everyone! Please keep telling me what you think. REVIEW! Pretty please? 


	5. Message

Author's Note:  
  
I know we're not supposed to post Author's Notes without a chapter but another chapter will replace this sooner or later. I would like to express my gratitude to those who have reviewed, your replies to my work have kept me going.  
  
I've worked over a year to create this storyline and I try my hardest to check spelling, grammar, accuracy, and even characterization from time to time. ^_^ I'm sad that so few people think that my story is worth reviewing. I know the spelling isn't always perfect and the format is crap (trying to fix that) and ff.net refuses to let me replace chapters so that these things can be fixed. I just wish people would take enough time to write two words: 'I like' or 'Keep updating' that's all I ask. Please?  
  
Anyone can tell you that author's on ff.net survive on reviews. I'm starving, minna! 


	6. Chap 5: Holding the Flame

Author's Note: I LOVE YOU ALL! ^_^ Nuff said.  
  
Gods of Silver  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The Great Fire snapped and twisted on its pyre, seeking freedom. It wanted to eat, destroy. Orange flames licked the air, trying to build its power, twigs and logs were not enough for a force such as it. How could such an element be worshipped? That's what many asked the priests and priestesses of Mars. The Martians tried to explain it to people, saying that if you respect and feed the fire it shall reward you with many gifts. Most people scoffed at this explanation but didn't ask again, afraid that the hot- tempered race would take offense.  
  
Princess Bellona Rei was supposed to be tending the fire and sweep away the ashes and soot that surrounded the Great Fire. She had been ensnared by the fire though and just sat there and watched it burn. Soon she would have to rise to feed it, the Great Fire was never allowed to go out.  
  
Rei, as she preferred to be called, didn't look anything like a Martian princess dressed in the stiff large robes of a novice priestess and her long red hair flowing free. The princess rarely felt like one either. Even though she still lived in the palace, she had not seen her father, King Ares, in over ten years since her mother died. Ares could not bare to look at his daughter because she was an exact replicate of her mother. Even Rei's name brought painful memories; her mother's name had been Bellona.  
  
After her father had stopped seeing her, the priests and priestesses of the palace had adopted her as their own. They raised her as a huge family and rarely mentioned her royal roots. Rei had no intention of ever taking the throne, her father had passed the inheritance to her brother, and was content to be a priestess for the remainder of her days.  
  
"Princess Bellona, your father wishes to see you!" a voice wrenched Rei from her reflection.  
  
"My father? Why would he want to see me?" Rei asked the priestess bitterly.  
  
"I don't know, Bellona, but that woman he's been keeping lately has something to do with it," the priestess replied and left the room.  
  
Rei sighed and stood from her meditating position, she felt a bit dazed, like this wasn't really happening. Maybe her father's latest mistress had convinced Ares to see his daughter. But what woman shooting for her children ruling one day would want her potential husband to see his true heir?  
  
Rei realized she hadn't done her duty to the Great Fire. Quickly, she added more wood to the fire and swept the immediate area around the fire. The job was sloppy but it would have to do for now, she had to go get ready to see her father.  
  
In her rooms Rei searched through her entire wardrobe in hopes of finding something presentable to wear. Unfortunately, Rei hadn't needed any fancy dress until now so her supply was short. Finally, Rei stumbled upon the kimono that she wore at the last Spring Festival. It wasn't in fashion and mostly priestesses wore them but it the best she had. She would help putting it on though.  
  
"Aisami! Will you please come here and help me? Rei yelled out the door to her maid.  
  
Aisami entered and the work of making Rei presentable began. Thirty minutes later Aisami was making the last touches while Rei stared at her reflection in the mirror. Aisami stood and told Rei that she looked beautiful, even without the white face paint and her hair flowing free. The kimono she wore wasn't the most beautiful she had ever seen but on her it would do. A kimono is an ensemble of layers, only three pieces of a kimono are seen at all. The under robe's collar would peek out at the collar and sleeves but hardly anywhere else. Then the over robe was shown to the world and usually had a pattern or design on it, some kimono patterns were considered a work of art. The last part was the obi, a sash or belt of wide fabric that was wrapped around the waist of the wearer.  
  
Rei's kimono had an under robe of blood red and an over robe of orange with a pattern of red and black phoenixes intertwined. The finishing touch to the outfit was the violet obi wrapped around Rei's waist. Rei personally thought she looked terrible, sort of like a human flame. So, begrudgingly, she made her way threw the corridors of the royal palace to the throne room where her father and his mistress awaited her.  
  
Upon entering the throne room, Rei heard a titter go through the court. Most likely they were laughing about her clothing. Anger bubble up inside Rei at the rudeness of her father's court. Who were they to judge her? She was still a princess of Mars, even if she was out of favor with the King.  
  
Rei approached the throne, looking as calm and serene as she could, and bowed low, it wasn't possible to curtsy in a kimono.  
  
"You sent for me father?"  
  
A guard standing at the foot of the dais her father's throne was raised on took a step forward and addressed Rei, "You will address King Ares as Your Majesty, Princess."  
  
"How dare you? He his my father, I will address him as such!" Rei exclaimed angrily, sending a wave of shock through the court, not many dared argue with Ares or his men.  
  
The guard took another step forward and began to unsheathe his sword but Ares' words stopped him.  
  
"She is correct, Captain. I am her father," King Ares told the guard, "You may stand down."  
  
Reluctantly, the guard nodded and stepped back into his original place. He continued to glare at Rei with distrust and warning. Rei gave the guard a small smug look, then turned her attention to her father.and his latest consort.  
  
King Ares' latest pleasure was tall, you could tell even when she was sitting, and had long curly auburn hair. Her eyes were a golden color that hinted at a Venusian ancestor but no Venusian had that color hair. Rei would have thought the woman was part Martian but it was rare for the two races to mix, except for Ares' affair with Queen Aphrodite that lasted until a year before Rei's birth. The woman wore a skintight purple dress in a cut unfamiliar to Rei but the ring on her finger was heartbreakingly familiar; it was Rei's mother's engagement ring. So, this woman was not just a momentary mistress but the Consort-To-Be and maybe even queen.  
  
A feeling of betrayal settled over Rei but was quickly replaced by anger. Her father was always looking out for himself first and foremost, why would he ask his only daughter if she wanted a stepmother?  
  
"Princess Bellona, so good of you to finally join us," Ares' welcomed Rei with a fake grin, "May I introduce you to my fiancée Lady Beryl?"  
  
Beryl wasn't a Venusian or Matian name, it was Terran. The future queen of Mars came from the only planet excluded from the Silver Alliance. Earth had refused to become apart of the Alliance because the planet was fractured into so many different cultures and tribes already that it had taken years to find someone that everyone would follow. Many of these tribes thought that putting their royal family second to the Moon was a sign of weakness in the royal family, they promised that they would revolt if Earth became a part of the Alliance.  
  
Beryl smiled faintly to Rei, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Princess. That is a unique dress you are wearing, what is it?" "I'm pleased to meet you as well. This is a kimono, usually it is worn only during the spring and winter festivals by priestesses. Your dress is also unusual, Mistress Beryl, is it a Terran style?" Rei replied politely but purposefully got Beryl's title wrong.  
  
Beryl's eyes flashed and for a moment Rei was sure she would call the guards on her but Beryl just kept smiling and reclined in her throne, laying a hand casually on Ares' knee.  
  
"Yes, it is all the rage on Earth," Beryl replied with an icy grin.  
  
Rei nodded and tried to glare discretely at the woman. She'd only known her for a few minutes and already she disliked her. Rei stretched out her mystic senses, a trick her learned as a priestess, to get a reading off Beryl. What she got was completely different than anything she'd ever felt before. Beryl felt.wrong was the best way to put it. Rei pulled her senses back and wondered if maybe it was because she'd never done that to someone from Earth before that Beryl felt different. She doubted it though.  
  
"Bellona, I have something to tell you," Ares' announced, obviously ignoring the tension between Rei and Beryl.  
  
"Yes, father?" Rei asked, she pushed down the need to roll her eyes at Ares' needless statement.  
  
"You are to be married to Prince Cadmus of Earth within a year."  
  
Her father's words rang through Rei's mind. She couldn't be getting married, she wouldn't. Marriage would destroy her plans to be a priestess. Who was Prince Cadmus? How long had this been arranged? Would she love him?  
  
"I can't," she gasped.  
  
"You will. It will be good for the ties between Earth and Mars," her father explained.  
  
"It won't be good for me!" Rei exclaimed, fists clenched.  
  
Ares' opened his mouth to argue but Beryl touched his shoulder, a sign that she would handle this.  
  
"I have met Prince Cadmus, he is a very respectable man. You two will get along, I'm sure of it."  
  
"I will never get along with a man I didn't choose," Rei ground out and stormed out of the throne room.  
  
The slamming of the door behind her echoed throughout the room, the court was silent. Ares' turned to Beryl, looking forlorn.  
  
"Are you sure they will be a good match? I don't want her to be unhappy," Ares' voice held worry.  
  
"Don't worry, my love. Bellona and Cadmus are perfect for each other. In no time Bellona won't be able to live without him, then our children will rule Mars," Beryl consoled her lover.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Another one down! Sorry this one took so long to get out, I couldn't quite decide what I wanted to do with Rei. Beryl was an inspiration though, I've not a clue where that came from. 


	7. Chap 6: Just Embroidery

Author's Note: This chapter took me a lot longer than expected. The Saturn and Pluto switch (Which I read awhile back was not really a switch or mess up but an actual play on Roman mythology which is, contrary to popular belief, different from Greek mythology in various ways) has always intrigued me so I decided to try and explain it. There were also problems with trying to find a distinct culture for Saturn but I think I've got it worked out now. Only four more chapters before people start arriving on the moon. There will be more GW guys in coming chapters, I've just got to get through the rest of these introduction chapters. Well, here it is. Enjoy! (And REVIEW, please!).  
  
Gods of Silver  
  
Chapter 6  
  
When walking down the streets of the Moon's capitol, Jericho, you see a varying degree of different people from the other planets of the Alliance represented. Most of these people get along fine in everyday life and are able to work together with no major problems (ignoring the fact that most, if not all, bar brawls were started by an argument between a Venusian and Martian). A surprising thing about an Empire like the Alliance was the distinct lack of hostile racism among the people...in normal cases. Unfortunately, there is one major flaw: they have all found a common enemy in the Saturnians.  
  
Saturn as a whole is a place of extremes. Their flowers have midnight-black stems and petals so white they're translucent. In the winter horrible lightning storms last for days on end and in the summer the sky hardly ever gets better than overcast (which really isn't an extreme but it gives you an idea of how these people live day in and day out). The people, reflecting their planet, are light skinned and dark haired. They also have the discomfiting ability to heal others using their own life energy but at the same time they ritually drink blood at marriages, coming-of-age ceremonies, as a binding to important contracts, and even at funerals if the dearly departed wished it so. To add on top of that Saturnians are extremely private and isolated from the other peoples of the Alliance. What better targets for aggression and fear than a remote blood cult?  
  
Only two planets of the Alliance have anything to do with Saturn: the Moon and Pluto. The Moon for obvious reasons like the fact that they controlled the Alliance so had to be on good terms with all of it's people. Pluto though had other reasons.  
  
Before there was an Alliance (yes, there was a time) Saturn and Pluto were allies because of their shared dark cultures. Saturn's royal family controlled the Time Gates and had the ability to see all the timelines and Pluto's royal family could cross the barrier between the world of the living and dead and ruled in both. They were feared and shunned for their power so out of desperation entered their own alliance that still unofficially exists even now in the time of the Silver Alliance.  
  
Things are beginning to unravel though. King Chronos of Saturn makes his affections towards Queen Persephone of Pluto no secret and slowly degrades the trust of King Dis. One more incident could snap the tension between the two and backlash on them. In the middle will be the forgotten victims: their children.  
  
***  
  
"Papa! Look at what I made!"  
  
A twelve-year old girl ran through the gardens of purple and white flowers to her father holding a piece of embroidered cloth in her hands. Her father was sitting on a bench near a fountain just staring up at the sky. When she was upon him, he turned and took the cloth without a word. The father proceeded to inspect it with a critical eye, obviously not pleased with what he saw. It was lovely work; a white and violet rose design with gray leaves and stems against a black backdrop. The stitches were perfect and design flawless. The piece would be a worthy addition to his daughter's marriage chest but this failed to bring approval or tenderness to the father's eyes.  
  
"Is this the only thing you can do? Have you done anything useful today, Iphigenia?" her father cast the embroidery aside and gazed at his daughter, trying to find something he knew was not there.  
  
Iphigenia solemnly lowered her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her, looking like the ideal obedient daughter. Lately, her father's disdain towards her had been growing more volatile. When in his presence it was best to act meekly. Whatever she did it was never good enough for him.  
  
"I- I studied the Laws of Time today, father-"  
  
"Use the proper title!" her father snarled.  
  
Feeling a burning in her eyes, Iphigenia stopped and squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. Father hated it when she cried. She took a deep breath and began again, her voice sounding much higher from distress.  
  
"I- I'm s-s-sorry, Your Majesty K- King Chronos. I studied the L-L-Laws of Time with M-Master-"  
  
Her father interrupted again, "I tire of your incessant stuttering. Leave."  
  
With that he turned around and went back to staring up at the clouds. Crown Princess Iphigenia moved forward and silently retrieved her discarded embroidery from the dirt of the garden then turned and walked as quietly as she could back into the castle. Once inside she gave up all pretenses and ran through the halls of the castle with tears streaming down her face but she never made a sound, not even when she burst into her mother's chambers and threw herself into her mother's lap.  
  
After Iphigenia had cried all the tears she could cry she lifted her head and wiped her eyes and nose with her mother's offered handkerchief.  
  
"What did he say this time, firefly?" Queen Procne asked gently and smoothed her daughter's midnight hair.  
  
Iphigenia really was the mirror image of her father. The same black hair that cast a violet sheen and eyes so purple they were almost black. The pale skin was the norm for Saturnians and so was being slight in frame but both King Chronos and his daughter were paler and slighter than usual. If Iphigenia had been a boy she could have been a clone of her father. Procne thanked Selene that her daughter was as far from Chronos in personality that you could be and still be royalty of Saturn.  
  
"He asked if I had done anything useful...and threw away my embroidery," Iphigenia replied quietly and offered up the soiled cloth.  
  
Procne took the embroidery and smoothed it out on her lap, ignoring the dirt that covered the skirts of her dress, and stared at it sadly. It was beautiful but was beyond repair. The queen had to wonder at her husband's cruelty towards their daughter lately. It seemed the closer Ipigenia's coming-of-age ceremony got the worse Chronos acted towards her. In the back of Procne's mind she knew why Chronos was so cruel. He had always wanted a son and when he got one...Procne sighed, this was not a time for those thoughts.  
  
"Darling, don't listen to what he says or pay attention to what he does. He's your father and he loves you," Procne consoled Iphigenia.  
  
Iphengia nodded quietly and joined her mother on the love seat. She wasn't so sure that what her mother said was true, though. She had never felt loved by her father, ever. The most she could hope for was unthinking neglect. It had always been best to be ignored than noticed.  
  
She knew that something had happened a long time ago to make her father so uncaring, everyone did. No one ever thought that she knew though. She was quiet and meek, she was easy to overlook and she used that to her advantage. She'd hide in corners and listen to the maids gossip about other servants and her father's obsession with Queen Persephone. It was the only thing she did that would have been considered 'useful' by her father.  
  
For a time Iphigenia and her mother sat in silence, just enjoying the other's company but then a knock on the door shattered their quiet.  
  
"Wife, I want to speak to you. Let me enter," Chronos ordered, Procne has long ago spelled her door to only let Iphigenia, herself, and her maids in without permission.  
  
Procne turned and shooed her daughter towards her closet, "Quickly, hide."  
  
Iphigenia did just that. She huddled into her mother's closet but left the door ajar so she could hear the conversation. This was nothing new to Iphigenia or Procne. Chronos was always asking to speak to Procne, usually to rant about something completely frivolous.  
  
Iphigenia heard her mother open the door and let the king in. Once the door was closed again her father began to pace and rant.  
  
"That girl will not be queen!" he snarled. "Do you know what she showed me today? Embroidery! How is a girl that does embroidery all supposed to run a kingdom? She'll die at the Gates! I will not have her as my heir!"  
  
Iphigenia huddled closer into her mother's gowns, frightened that Chronos would know that she was there and fling the closet doors open to reveal her. It wasn't like she wanted to be queen or the guardian of the Gates of Time but it was her duty. It hurt that her father thought she wouldn't even survive the Time Gates.  
  
"I understand your concern for you daughter, Chronos, but she is almost an adult. Her coming-of-age ceremony is only a few weeks away. She'll be ready for the Gates," Procne soothed her husband, "She is your daughter, you know. She'll be a worthy Guardian."  
  
There was silence for a moment and Iphigenia began to think that maybe her parents had left the room without her hearing.  
  
"No girl will be my heir," Chronos calmly stated.  
  
"It is all you have."  
  
"And whose fault is that?" Chronos roared and exited the chambers and slammed the door shut with such force that something fell to the floor and shattered.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Well, that's the start of the Saturn plot. Hope you liked it. I'd also like to thank Vert my unofficial beta who without this chapter would still be sitting around and be filled with typos. Thankies! Remember people: Review! 'Tis good for the soul. ^-^ 


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